Which is an example of a performance metric that can be used to assess the impact of portfolio management?

Question

Options

• APercentage of milestones being achieved during a projects life cycle compared with the planned
• BThe successful delivery of linked projects and transformation activities to achieve an intended
• CPercentage increase in the number of customer complaints received during the implementation of
• DPercentage of initiatives delivered on time and/or budget compared within initial forecasts

• A
  4% (1)
• B
  8% (2)
• C
  12% (3)
• D
  76% (19)

Explanation

Option D is correct because portfolio management operates at a strategic level, overseeing multiple initiatives simultaneously, and measuring the percentage delivered on time and/or within budget directly reflects the portfolio's effectiveness at coordinating and governing those initiatives against their original forecasts - a classic, quantifiable portfolio KPI.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A focuses on milestone tracking within a single project's lifecycle, making it a project-level metric, not a portfolio-level one.
• B describes a qualitative benefit or outcome (transformation delivery), which is closer to benefits realization than a measurable performance metric.
• C measures customer complaints - an operational or service quality indicator - which reflects implementation problems, not portfolio management performance, and an increase in complaints signals failure, not a management metric.

Memory tip: Think "Portfolio = the whole scoreboard." A good portfolio metric must be aggregated, quantifiable, and forecast-based - D is the only option that checks all three boxes. If an answer sounds like it belongs on a single project's status report (milestones, complaints), it's too granular for portfolio level.

No community discussion yet for this question.